Even if your regular medical checkup shows a low cholesterol level, don't celebrate too soon: Recent medical research has revealed another bad guy in the blood.
The new suspect is homocysteine, one of the amino acids that function as the building blocks of protein in the body. Not as well known as other amino acids, homocysteine is produced when the body breaks down proteins taken from food.
Elevated homocysteine levels appear to cause hardening of the arteries, setting the stage for heart attacks and brain infarctions. Medical researchers now believe that the chemical may be just as responsible for causing these deadly diseases as cholesterol.